Divider construction for wire shelving



Feb- 6. 1968 G. KRIKORIAN 3,367,510

DIVIDER CONSTRUCTIONFOR WIRE SHELVING Filed Oct. 5, 1965 5g Ey (4.

United States Patent O 3,367,510 DIVIDER CONSTRUCTION FOR WIRE SHELVING George Krikorian, Worcester, Mass. Spencer Products Inc., 64 Main St., Spencer, Mass. 01562) Filed Oct. 5, 1965, Ser. No. 493,125 3 Claims. (Cl. 211--126) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE This invention relates to dividers for wire shelving or trays, including the provision of an easily separable and longitudinally adjustable divider for a tray or shelving construction usually made of wire or similar material. The principal object of the invention is to provide such a divider which is snapped into place and forms a rm and rigid part of the shelf construction as soon as it is assembled, so that it can be placed for instance adjacent the ends of the shelf to form rigid end constructions and handles so that the shelf can be used as a basket for carrying articles; but at the same time the new divider is removable from its snapped-in rigid position and can be rearranged longitudinally of the shelving to again be snapped onto the shelf in a rigid and movable relationship therewith at any desired position longitudinally thereof.

The prior art has detachable dividers for wire shelving but in the prior art these dividers are not immovably arranged with respect to the shelving but on the contrary are generally hung on the top portions thereof depending therein, and tending to swing at their lower end which have no positive connection with respect to the shelving; whereas in the present case the new dividers have a positive connection with respect to the shelving not only at the tops but at the bottom thereof.

A further object of the invention resides in the provision of a better means for hanging the dividers on the shelving, said means comprising a double wire construction wherein the wires are slightly spaced and are provided with hooks at their ends, the hooks snapping over the edges of the shelving and the two parts thereof straddling certain selected wire portions of the shelf, so that the divider is positively held and cannot slide along the shelving nor be lifted directly out, although it can be removed from the shelving and rearranged in a diierent longitudinal position.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will appear hereinafter.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view illustrating one type of shelving to which the present novel divider is applied;

FIG. 2 is a transverse section through a wire shelving as shown in FIG. 1 with the new divider attached thereto;

FIG. 3 is a view in elevation with parts omitted looking in the direction of arrow 3 in FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a similar view looking in the direction of arrow 4 in FIG. 2, and

FIG. 5 is a bottom plan view adjacent one end of the shelving unit illustrating the locking action of the bottom of the divider with respect thereto.

3,367,510 Patented Feb. 6, 1968 As shown in FIG. 1 the invention can be applied to a wire shelving or the like which comprises in general an upright rear portion 10, a bottom 12, and an outwardly slanted forward portion 14. There is a continuous perimeter wire which makes up the outline of the shelving and this comprises the parts which are indicated 4at 16, 18, 20, 22, 24 and 26. Between portions 20 and 22 there is an upwardly extending area or section at 28. In addition there is a longitudinal wire such as 30 just above the bottom 12 connecting the portions 18 and 26, and there are also longitudinal wire members 32 and 34 connecting members 12 and 24 and one yfurther longitudinal wire member 36 which connects the parts at 38, 38 slightly above the bottom of the basket.

In addition to this there are a plurality of smaller cross wire members all of which are indicated by the reference numeral 38, these assuming the shape of the heavier wire members 18, 20 and 28, and extending between and being secured to each of the members 16, 30, 32, 34, 36 and 22. Any desired spacing can be utilized for these smaller wires but in general they may be spaced about one inch or more.

As so far described, the construction is conventional. In order to make the explanation clearer however, wires 38 will be seen to be comprised of three separate portions. In the rear upright portion 16, wires 38 are indicated at 40; lat the forward inclined portion 14 thereof they are indicated at 42, and the bottom portion which extends along the bottom 12 from front to back are indicated at 44.

The new divider is best shown in FIG. 2 and it comprises a pair of slightly spaced wire members 46, 46 which have secured between them at spaced intervals upright wire members 48, 48. At each end the double wire members 46 are provided with Z-shaped hook members 50 which also are double, both of which extend reentrantly as at 52 and then forwardly at 54 forming snap loops or holding means 56, 56 which snap over the top rear longitudinal wire 16, and the forward longitudinal wire 22 as is clearly shown in FIG. 2. In order to disassemble these members, it is merely necessary to slightly bend in the back or the front of the shelving so as to release them and they can then be easily removed.

Certain of the wires 48 extend downwardly forming loops 58, 60 below the level of a bottom wire 62 extending between the outside wire members 64, 66 of the series of wire members 48 for the purpose of being exposed one at either side of the appropriate cross wire 44 as is perhaps best shown in FIGS. 3, 4 and 5.

In order to apply the divider shown in FIG. 2 and anywhere with respect to the length of the shelving shown at 61, it is merely necessary to bend either the forward portion 14 or the rear portion 16 inwardly slightly, hooking the loop at 56 over the wire 16 so that the legs l50, 52 straddle the wire portion 40. With the walls at 10 and 14 sprung inwardly toward each other slightly, it is then an easy matter to hook the forward end portion at 50 over wire 22 at the same time disposing loop 60 to one side of the respective wire 44 which is connected to wire 40 and loop 48 to the other side thereof. The loops `58 and 60 do not depend below the bottommost surface of the wire members in the 'area 12 but once in the positions stated the dividers are immovable, being positively held on top wires 16 and 22 and also at the bottom thereof in the area of the -wire 62 since it is necessary to spring wire 62 to cross the respective wire 44 as shown in FIG. 5 so as to get one locking loop 58 at one side of the wire 44 and the locking loop 60 at the other side thereof.

However with the dividers in position adjacent the ends of the shelving, the entire shelving can be picked up and with the rigid end members can be used as a basket. In any event, with the dividers in position as described, no amount of merchandise in the shelving will be enabled to swing the dividers one way or the other because they are immovably mounted although detachable as described.

Having thus described my invention and the advantages thereof, I do not wish to be limited to the details herein disclosed, otherwise than as set forth in the claims, but what I claim is:

1. A divider for shelving comprising a wire top member, a wire bottom member, spaced wires which are generally parallel connecting the top and the bottom member, the top member comprising a pair of wires which are slightly spaced, said wires extending beyond the front and the rear edges of said divider in a pair of spaced hook-like members which can engage each slide of an object between them, projections extending from the bottom edge of the divider in spaced relation from front to rear thereof, said projections being mounted on the bottom wire member of said divider which can be sprung slightly so as to present said projections at opposite sides of a central line extending from front to rear of the divider iat the bottom portion thereof.

2. In a wire shelving construction including detachable dividers therefor, wherein said shelving comprises an upright rear portion, a generally flat bottom portion, and a generally upright front portion all made of wire and including a series of spaced cross wires extending through the rear, bottom and front portions thereof, and also including `a forward longitudinal member connecting said cross wires at the top of the front portion, and a similar 4 member connecting said cross Wires at the top of the rear portion,

said divider comprising a double wire top member, the

wires of the top member being parallel and spaced and including hook constructions lat each end also parallel and spaced and being arranged to hook over the members at the tops of the front and back portions of the shelving and to straddle the end portions of a single cross wire, holding the divider against longitudinal motion with respect to said shelving as well as motion in a direction at right angles to the general plane of the bottom portion thereof.

3. The wire shelving of claim 2 including projections at the lower edge portion of said divider for engaging with the bottom portion of said shelving, said divider being adapted to be sprung suiciently for the projections to engage a corresponding cross wire at opposite sides thereof.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,868,391 l/l959 Sides 211-184 X 3,145,850 8/1964 Ciborowski 211-184 X 3,149,729 9/1964 Smith 211-184 3,194,528 7/1965 Chesley 21l-184 X 3,225,719 12/1965 Marschak 211-184 X 3,269,556 8/1966 Streater 211-184 X ROY D. FRAZIER, Primary Examiner. 

